The invention is concerned with a device for machine communication in examining and changing of data in data carriers exhibiting a memory, especially in the identification of persons, in checking the right to entry etc., at at least one control station. Such devices are used for various purposes, for example, at ski lifts for checking or devaluating tickets, in parking garages to permit entering and exiting.
Up until now, primarily cards with magnetic stripes and punch cards were used for the identification of persons or for entry control, that is to say, passive data carries. These must be inserted into a slot of a reading device at the control station which leads to a relatively large expenditure of time and inconvenience for the user.
Active data carriers are known in which the data carrier itself contains electronic components, such as computers, displays, etc. Examples of this are EP-B-19280 (ID card and electrical contact surfaces), EP-A-142013 (Data carriers with inductive data transfer and destruction of the data upon mechanical intervention), EP-A-168836 (Data card for cash dispensers with optical data transfer), EP-A-196028 (Value card with electrical contact surfaces), and, WO-A-86/04705 (Telephone value card with inductive data transfer). The data carriers which are expensive as compared with magnetic stripe or punch cards cannot be used for general purposes of the type mentioned in the beginning especially because of their high cost. In mass use for admission of limited cost, for example, for single tickets at ski lifts, they would not be accepted by the public. For this reason, the control devices up to now have been indispensable. Because, however, control through active data carriers would considerably increase the productivity of every control station, it is the goal of the invention to create a control system without the disadvantages mentioned above.